There has been a long-felt need to produce a long lasting feeder for flowing streams of molten inorganic material, such as glass, at operating temperatures equal to or higher than currently practiced.
Much of the previous work was directed to forming alloys having superior properties over the unalloyed metals. Feeders in the textile art, or fixed bushing art, have historically been made from alloys of platinum and rhodium. Feeders in the wool art, or rotatable feeders, have been produced employing Cobalt based alloys.
The present invention provides inorganic fiber forming feeders wherein the high temperature strength characteristics of refractory metals are combined with the oxidation resistance of precious metals in combination with an intermediate diffusion barrier layer to substantially retard or eliminate the interdiffusion between the refractory metal and the precious metal to produce feeders capable of operating at high temperatures and for extended periods of time heretofore.